WA AG ‘Proudly’ Announces 40th Lawsuit vs. Trump Administration

Although they try to play it straight by listing the number of lawsuits filed against the Trump Administration, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson seems to be trumpeting the fact that he is fighting the President every chance he gets.

In fact, a number of even West Side media have taken to calling him "Side Show Bob" because of his penchant for throwing lawsuits against the Trump Administration over everything from immigration and ICE policies, to budget and funding issues, and environmental causes.

Some of Ferguson's suits have some legal or precedent backing for them, you could understand where they are coming from. While controversial, there at least can be some sort of legal argument made. But the other half appear to be purely policy or politically motivated. It's no secret Ferguson is said to jump when Gov. Inslee says to.

Now, Ferguson's office has joined the states of Massachusetts and California in trying to force the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to collect data on the alleged importing, and use of Asbestos in the U.S. Ferguson released this statement Monday, reading in part:

“The EPA can’t adequately assess the human health risks posed by asbestos if it doesn’t even know how much of this highly toxic substance is coming into the country. Asbestos is a dangerous pollutant, posing significant and life-threatening risks to people who are exposed to it. The Trump Administration should want to know as much as it can about the presence of this carcinogen in our country.”

There is no formal U.S. ban on the use of Asbestos, but most of it's applications and uses are banned anyway under what is known as the Toxic Substances Control Act. With all the litigation taking place over it's use years ago (you see and hear all those ads on TV and Radio) it's largely gone by the wayside here.

However, foreign nations, including China, have been accused of still using the naturally occurring fire resistant silicate based materials. Asbestos is the term used to describe six fibrous silicate fire-resistant materials that are found in nature, and have been used for decades in everything from fabrics to brake linings.

Numerous studies have linked lung and other health issues to microscopic fibers given off by the product, causing it to be all but removed from nearly all U.S. manufacturing.

Ferguson even included in his suit quotes from Trump taken many years ago, in which he defended the use of Asbestos, in an effort to add to his suit.